A sophisticated network promotion tracking and management system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,740 to Stephen Dale Messer. This system includes a plurality of computers linked together to allow transfer of information and files in accordance with a select profile. Promotions at one computer are used to direct consumers to a Merchant computer where commerce can take place. The system tracks the referrals from the promotion to the commerce and permits proper allocation of commissions for the referral.
The foregoing U.S. Patent and pending patent application Ser. No. 09/098,860 filed on Jun. 17, 1998 are hereby incorporated by reference, forming the foundations for the improvements thereto discussed below as part of the present invention.
While a vast spectrum of variations exists in implementation, the above network promotion tracking includes a Clearinghouse Web Site, where Merchants and Affiliates interact and develop mutually acceptable promotional arrangements consistent with operational considerations. Often, the system includes at the Clearinghouse, select promotional links pre-packaged for ease in implementing by the Affiliate, simply by downloading the link code structure—usually expressed in HTML code. For example, the Clearinghouse server will include banner ads formed by pre-packaged links that include graphics for a select Merchant trademark, such as LL Bean or the like. This allows the Merchant to control the image quality of the banners and eases their implementation by the Affiliate.
In addition, promotional links take forms other than mere banner ads, and can include e-mail, text, search box, and select graphic/image configurations. All these link code packages have in common a static characteristic. That is, once placed on the Affiliate's Web page, the content and appearance remains constant until replaced or updated. Indeed, if the Merchant moves, or the product is discontinued, the link becomes obsolete and unproductive.
Other links are more sophisticated. These links include embedded code for local execution upon activation. For example, the promotional link can include a Java script that provides a short animation upon activation by a potential user, enhancing the overall promotional presentation to the USER. These short programmed applet-based presentations are known as Rich Media because the format allows a substantially richer presentation upon execution. However, even this more sophisticated presentation is static in the sense that once programmed with the Web page, it largely repeats as instantiated. Changing and/or updating the presentation involves the full removal and replacement of the page coding at the Affiliate site, an arduous and complex process particularly with the more sophisticated presentation materials.
These more sophisticated promotional links that include animation or other programmed capabilities are often created by professionals apart from and operating separately from the Affiliates and Merchants within the network. Indeed, these vendors are skilled in this select field of programming and offer their Rich Media applets to the industry pursuant to their individual fee structures. Vendor supply of these Rich Media offerings upon acceptance requires the transfer on select intervals of the Rich Media creative to the subscribing Affiliate from the producers. Problems can arise in this transfer particularly if the Affiliate is without meaningful programming support or lacks the experience to manage updating and modifying promotional applets on a continuous basis.